Composition for treating or preventing amyloid-related diseases comprising 4-O-methylhonokiol

Abstract

Disclosed is a composition for treating or preventing amyloid-related diseases including 4-O-methylhonokiol as an active ingredient. More specifically, a pharmaceutical composition including 4-O-methylhonokiol, which is effective for treating or preventing amyloid-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, cognitive disorder, defective memory, amyloidosis, etc. is disclosed. The inventors of the present disclosure have found out for the first time that 4-O-methylhonokiol inhibits the production of β-amyloid. It has been confirmed to be useful in treating or preventing amyloid-related diseases. Through animal tests including water maze test and passive avoidance test on mice, 4-O-methylhonokiol has been confirmed to be effective for amyloid-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, defective memory, cognitive disorder, and the like. It was further confirmed through acetylcholinesterase activity inhibition test using mouse brain cortex and hippocampus tissue that they are particularly effective in treating or preventing Alzheimer's disease among the amyloid-related diseases.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for reducing beta-amyloid comprising administering a pharmaceutically effective dosage of 4-O-methylhonokiol or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to a subject in need thereof. 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable salt is a metal salt with lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium or magnesium bound to the hydroxyl group of the 4-O-methylhonokiol. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the 4-O-methylhonokiol is isolated from  Magnolia officinalis  Rehd. et Wils. extract. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the 4-O-methylhonokiol is chemically synthesized from methylation of honokiol. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the subject has a beta-amyloid-related disease selected from a group consisting of Alzheimer's disease, cognitive disorder, defective memory and amyloidosis. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the 4-O-methylhonokiol or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered as a composition comprising the 4-O-methylhonokiol or the pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in an amount of 0.0001-90 wt % based on the total weight. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical or functional food composition. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the composition is in the form of powder, granule, tablet, capsule, injection, cream, gel, patch, spray or ointment.